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enDuff backs Chelsea but worried for FulhamMelbourne City star Damien Duff has predicted contrasting fortunes for two of his former clubs Chelsea and Fulham.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/duff-predicts-chelsea-success-worried-fulham
The 35-year-old former Republic of Ireland international left Fulham at the end of last season after the club's relegation from the Premier League.
Duff signed a one-year deal with Melbourne City, who are majority owned by the City Football Group, in the A-League in June.
Speaking to Perform on Tuesday, he said Chelsea – where he played from 2003-06 – deserved to be heavy favourites to claim the Premier League title.
"Obviously Chelsea are firm favourites," Duff said, speaking after featuring in a 5-0 pre-season friendly win for City.
"If [Jose] Mourinho doesn't win it in the first year, he always wins it in the second year. I don't think you can really look beyond them.
"They obviously had a good, strong win [against Burnley]."
Duff was less positive about Fulham, who let go of several senior players – including John Heitinga, John Arne Riise, Steve Sidwell and Giorgos Karagounis – at the end of last season.
Felix Magath's men have made a disappointing start to the Championship campaign, losing their opening two games.
"It's sad to see really what's happened there," Duff, who featured in Fulham's 2010 UEFA Europa League final loss to Atletico Madrid, said.
"From where the club was at four or five years ago, I'd be worried for them."
Even in the latter stages of his career, Duff remains hungry to succeed in Australia, where he will be joined for 10 games by Spain's all-time leading goalscorer and New York City signing David Villa.
Also joining Duff in Melbourne is Robert Koren, who has made the move as a marquee player after spells with West Brom and Hull City in the Premier League.
Koren made his first appearance for Melbourne City on Tuesday, playing a half in their 5-0 win over state league team Hume City.
Duff is delighted to have the former Slovenia captain alongside him in John van 't Schip's squad.
"It's great. Obviously been training with him for the past couple of weeks and I know him from the Premier League so he's a good player, and a great addition to the squad," he said.
"He's a good guy."
news_articleWed, 20 Aug 2014 06:10:18 +0000234939 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDuff joins David Villa at Melbourne CityDamien Duff became the latest player to join the Melbourne City revolution on Tuesday, signing a one-year deal at the A-League club.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/duff-joins-villa-melbourne-city
Having left Fulham on a free transfer following their relegation from the Premier League, Duff has been recruited by City under the salary cap, meaning speculation will continue over potential high profile arrivals at the club.
John van 't Schip's team, who will be able to call on the services of David Villa before he joins New York City FC for the 2015 MLS campaign, are yet to announce their international or domestic marquee players for the 2014-15 season.
They also have one further spot for an overseas player to be paid under the cap.
Duff, who won the Premier League twice with Chelsea and earned 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland, left Fulham at the end of last season after five years at Craven Cottage.
The 35-year-old also played for Newcastle United for three years after leaving Chelsea in 2006.
"We're excited to have a player of Damien's quality and experience for this season. We believe he can offer international standard quality on the pitch and will also be a great professional example for our younger players," Van 't Schip said in a statement.
"His career speaks for itself. He has achieved almost everything at club level and has been a great player at an international level too. He comes to us straight from the English Premier League with Fulham, so he has been playing at the highest level against top teams and top players.
"When we met with Damien, he was excited about the opportunity here and keen to work with us to help make this project a success."
City also announced they have re-signed promising duo Stefan Mauk and Ben Garuccio until 2016 and 2017 respectively.
news_articleTue, 10 Jun 2014 06:10:57 +0000189581 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSidwell and Duff among Fulham departuresMidfield duo Steve Sidwell and Damien Duff will leave relegated Fulham, the club has announced.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sidwell-duff-among-fulham-departures
Central midfielder Sidwell was one of Fulham's best players this season, featuring in every single Premier League match and scoring seven goals.
The 31-year-old - who initially joined Fulham on loan from Aston Villa in January 2011 - was unable to prevent Fulham dropping to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2001 though.
He is not the only big name to leave Craven Cottage, with winger Duff ending his five-year association with the club.
Duff - a member of Fulham's team that reached the 2010 UEFA Europa League final - scored 22 goals in 173 matches for Fulham, but had not featured since February due to injuries.
Elsewhere, full-back John Arne Riise has departed, while experienced midfield pair Giorgos Karagounis and Mahamadou Diarra will not receive new deals.
Centre-back John Heitinga made 14 appearances since signing a short-term deal from Everton in January, but will not have his contract extended, while midfielder Derek Boateng, full-back Matthew Briggs and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge will also leave the club.
news_articleFri, 23 May 2014 16:37:39 +0000178701 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDuff planning for Fulham departure in summerDamien Duff has announced his intention to leave Fulham at the end of the season after struggling for regular first-team football.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/duff-plans-fulham-departure
The Republic of Ireland international has missed the last two months with a knee injury, having started just nine Premier League games before the problem occurred.
And the 35-year-old has revealed that he has no interest in discussing new terms with the Craven Cottage club.
"I'm up at the end of the season," he told The Irish Times. "The club haven't spoken to me and I haven't spoken to the club but we don't need to speak: I'll be leaving Fulham. I've had a great time here but that's football.
"I've had a few whispers from here and there but I'm just trying to get this (his knee) right first.
"I've looked at the Australia or America thing for a bit, it would be a different way of life, a different league; I think life's too short just to be stuck in the rat race, if that's the right phrase, over here so I'd maybe like to taste something new before I go back home."
Duff's international team-mate Robbie Keane currently plies his trade in the MLS for Los Angeles Galaxy, and Duff said he would consider a move to the United States.
"We've had a bit of banter all right," he said. "He obviously loves it and every six months I see he's signed a new deal so he'll be there for a good while yet.
"We'll see what happens but I wouldn't mind trying it to be fair, but I have to get back fit first.
"I've got a screw in my knee now and a screw in the knee of a jinky winger doesn't really go hand in hand, but we'll see what happens.
"We'd be up for it and we'd like to see the world but it wouldn't be for a jolly up. I'm still as hungry as ever."
news_articleWed, 16 Apr 2014 13:17:45 +0000155078 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDuffs Fulham future uncertain after injuryDamien Duffs Fulham career could be over after a knee injury ended his season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/duffs-fulham-future-uncertain-after-season-ended
The veteran midfielder – who turned 35 last Sunday - is out of contract in June and looks set to take no further part in the club's battle to remain in the Premier League.
Duff has made 173 appearances for Fulham since joining from Newcastle United in 2009, the most he has played for one club during a career that also included spells at Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea.
"We have to expect that he will not play this season anymore," said Fulham manager Felix Magath.
The loss of a creative player like Duff is an undoubted blow to Fulham's chances of staving off the threat the relegation.
Magath's men prop up the rest of the Premier League and have the chance to leapfrog over Cardiff City should the London club win in the Welsh capital on Saturday.
Ahead of a crucial juncture in Fulham's season, Magath has backed his players to stay up.
"I'm convinced that we will avoid relegation because we have developed in the last 14 days (since he took charge) and the team is growing together and that is what makes me sure," he said at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Cardiff game.
"We have a quite good schedule in the last 10 games.
"I get the feeling here that everybody knows that everybody sleeps well with this knowledge that are games ahead of us that we can win."
And Magath insists the pressure is all on Cardiff as he goes in search of his first win since succeeding Rene Meulensteen at Craven Cottage.
He added: "Cardiff has a home game and they have to win. They are one point better than us, that is not enough for them, they have go to higher to avoid relegation.
"It is very important for us to have the first win. Now is the time to fight.
"Teams need confidence and the best confidence you can get is if you win. These three points are very important to us, not only to step up from last place. We need a win for ourselves and our confidence."
news_articleFri, 07 Mar 2014 08:30:31 +0000133805 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com